The Greenville times., 1887-10-01

-bieb would be if uucheekedi 70
great gorges or wash outs
~ the bottom in the vicinity oI
sbe work. These appreheuslons
are are not theoretical merely. but
nave been verified by bitter ex'
aerianee. To obviate such disas-
isrs The engineers protect the
hottom of each dixie by a foot mat
Il tbey call it-tbat is by q mat
,rass = built on the same pattern
Ill - ,5ose used in ordinary reVet-
:, ment Int extending only about
thirty feet in front Of the dixie ana
: III hn1dred feet or so below. This
Is formed to be perfectly effective
in nreyenting such scOur. The dis
tanee apart at which these spurs
are to be placed is matter upon
which much anxious thought has
been expended-as there has IN
deed ON every detail Of the WORK.
II is also of Importance that Iney
should be as distant as is eonsls-
tapt with the performance OF thelr
duty. There is limited sum 10
he expended, and it is Of the ut.
most consequence that this should
be made to 60 as far as possible.
The same remark applies to every
particular of constructiOn-the al
feet being in each case to accom-
complish the purpose with eer'
tainty at the minimum OF expense
and it may truly be said that tne
officers in charge have been most
CONSCIENTIOUS in their endeayors
to solve this difficult problem,
bringing to bear all the resources
of their knowledge and experience.
The dikes at Memphis are four
hundred and fifty feet apart, ana
answer their purpose admirably.
| 1t is probable that ours might DC
safely placed at a little greater DIS
tance-though this point we be-
lieye to be still under considera.
ton. If the money holds out, 1t
is designed to build about eleven
dikes. The work is done under
the direction Of Captain William
I. Rossell, of the corps OF En-.
gineers United States army; an
officer to whom the people OF the
Mississippi Valley ought to bear
) an especial good will for the hearth
ness which he has thrown into the
discharge of his duty, and the
warm and cordial support he has
rendered them before the commits
, ! sion and on every proper occasion.
,, Capt. Rossell has placed in charge
of the work his principal assistant
: Mr.. Arthur Hider-One of the
/, most accomplished engineers in
the service of the government.
! Mr.. Hider has been connected
|, with the Mississippi River Com.
/, mission, we believe, ever since
its organization in 1880, aud has
y filled the most responsible posi-
1 tiOns. The last that he diseharg-
a ed was the superintendent of the
; immense dixie and revetment
!, works near Wilson's Point-called
1 the Providence Reach improve.
: ment which employed 1000 men
!. and miles of boats, while the OK.
= penditure reached INTO the mil
= lions. Mr.. Hider is assisted in his
:. charge by Mr.. G. ii. Wilson, who
!. has much experience in this kind
>. of work, and especially in the re-
a cent constructions at Memphis
=. Among those in charge of separ.
Il ate departments are observable
II the faces of Messrs Atkins and
. Rothenhafer, formerly employed
\. in similar capacities at Wilson'S
a Point and Pitchers Point, ant
.. others of no doubt equal skill.
Ia The first mattress (toot mat
was successfully sunk on Thurs
II. day evening-the operation ben,
% witnessed from the bank by
Is large number Of spectators. Tht
m sinking of so wide o mat as thl,
Il. (for it is one of the widest on re
4 cord is a somewhat dangerou
m proceeding, which for its success
n. full execution demands great skill
of and experience. Often the grea
o. floating mass, under the infuenc,
IS. OF strong currents, "buckles,
of breaks in pieces, drops its load o
if. stone aud drifts down the river
,d losing vast quantities OF materia
or and the labor Of a hundred me,
n. for a week. Every precaution wa
ke taken OF course, to prevent sue
N. q disaster, The mattress wa
I'd strengthened by iron rods runnip
10 lengthwise and crosswise and b
of wire ropes stretched diagonall,
ep Strong lines reached from III
he shore to various portions of tn
head and foot of the mat, to chec
Is the action of cross and eddy cul
so rents. The stone barges, unde
to the direction of skilful handl
at moved evenly over the mass q
he brush, already loaded almost I
ne sinking, and the two acres of ma
he went down quietly and safely.
ty Next IN order will be the bull,
ty ing and sinking of the cribs, wSic
rs. Interesting work we doubt nc
ad VIII receive due attention frol
IN. our readers.
ha --s-a
II, { - School Trustees.